Jar opener



H. L. BLOOD.

JAR OPENER.

APPLICATION man sun. 1, 1921.

1,41 1,835. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

' naw/Mm HaroZelDLBZqad Shim/mu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD L. BLOOD, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

JAR OPENER.

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

Substitute for application Serial No. 323,078, filed September 11, 1919. This application filed September '7, 1921. Serial No. 499,074.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HAROLD L. 131,001), a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Jar Openers, of which the following is a specification.

In the use of glass jars for holding preserved materials such as food stuffs or the like it is customary to retain the glass top upon the j are, by means of the atmospheric pressure and the partial exhaustion of air within the top. An intervening ring ofrubber is used between the cover and the recessed neck of the jar. In opening ars of this character it is necessary to apply considerable force to the lip of the cover in order to lift it from the neck of the jar and release the cover from the jar.

My invention accomplishes the separation of the cover from the neck of the jar without damage to the cover and with the minimum exertion of force.

My invention has for its further object the provision of an instrument adaptable to jars of varying sizes and types.

Other advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the jar opener in use, the jar and cover being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the jar opener in two positions.

A strap member 1 is provided of a sufficient length to cross the diameter of. the

jar cover 2. This jar cover is shown in its fastened position on the neck 3 of the jar and separated therefrom by the rubber washer or ring 4.

The strap member 1 is terminated at one end by a reversely turned portion 5, terminatmg in an extended wedged edge 6. This edge 6 conforms to the curvature of the cover and the wedge portion is comparatively steep for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

It will be noted that the member 1 is. sufficiently separated from its reversely turned portion 5 as to avoid contact with the cover at all points except at the edge 6. The opposite end of the member 1 is wrapped around the pin 7 and is free to turn about the same. A handle member 8 is formed of sheet metal, the two side portions being bent downward toform the side walls 9. The pin 7 is passed through appropriate openmgs 1n the opposite side walls 9 and thus forms a ournal about which the member 1 may turn. The forward edges of the side walls 9 are slightly recessed at 10 and terinmate in the lowermost corners 11. The recesses 10 conform to the vertical curvature of the cover member 2. Y

The strap member 1 is of considerable width and occupies the full distance between the side walls 9 of the handle. In thls way when the edge 6 is brought into engagement with the lower portion of the cover 2, seating therein over an extended distance, the opposite end of the member '1- is held between the spaced shoulders 10. This provides a, firm seating of the edge 6 and a correspondingly firm position of the handle, preventing the latter from moving to either side as would be the tendency of using a single point as fulcrum-for the movement of the handle. The initial engagement of the shoulders 10 with the cover 2 brings the handle to a slightly elevated position with only the edge 6 and the shoulders 10 in direct contact with the cover. This is shown in full lines in Fig. 2. A slight pivotal movement of the handle downward and around the rolling or sliding fulcrum at 10 will serve to tighten the member 1 and accomplishes the penetration of the edge 6 between the cover and the rubber ring at the time the handle has reached a horizontal position. This position is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The inward movement of the edge 6, which operates as a wedge, serves to lift one side of the cover away from the neck of the jar. This admits air under the cover, equalizing the prmsure inside and outside of the jar and permitting the further ready removal of the cover.

The use of the edge 6 with extensive contact prevents chipping or otherwise damaging the glass of which the cover is customarily made. The use of the two shoulders of the handle as furcrums about which the operation is effected firmly seats the utensil in position and serves to prevent any side slip. It will be noted that the member 1 is sufficiently arched to prevent contact with the cover as it rises from the jar, and that the handle may give a varying degree of movement downward before its lowermost portion 11 comes in contact with the jar. In

this manner slight variation in the size of the cover has no effect upon the successful operation of the device.

It is obvious that the tool may be used as a wrench to remove screw tops from jars.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A tool for lemoving the tops fnom jars, consisting of a strap member terminating in a wedge-shaped blade having an extended edge conforming in curvature with the circumference of the top, a handle pivoted to the strap member and means on the handle for engaging the top at 111 point opposite the blade.

HAROLD L. BLOOD. 

